A Chicago resident has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that he was subjected to false arrest and excessive force by police officers. Steven Jenkins lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on June 7, 2024, naming multiple officers from the Village of Forest Park as defendants.
According to the complaint, Jenkins was driving through Forest Park on June 25, 2022, when he was stopped without legal basis by Officers Zachary Calamus and Arleta Kochan. The officers allegedly pointed their guns at Jenkins and were soon joined by Officers Brendan Reilly, Sergeant John Reilly, Michael Spagnolo, and DeAires Blackwell. All six officers are accused of breaking Jenkins' car window, forcibly removing him from his vehicle, and using excessive force during his arrest. The complaint states that Jenkins was subsequently charged with various criminal offenses despite the officers lacking probable cause for his arrest.
Jenkins contends that he suffered significant harm due to the actions of the police officers. He claims to have endured false arrest, unlawful detention, loss of liberty, physical injuries, humiliation, economic loss, emotional anguish, and other damages. The lawsuit argues that these actions violated Jenkins' Fourth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution and were in breach of civil rights protections outlined in 42 U.S.C. §1983.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages against the individual officers involved in his arrest. Additionally, Jenkins is requesting reimbursement for legal costs and attorney's fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1988. The lawsuit also includes a claim for indemnification against the Village of Forest Park under Illinois law. This claim asserts that since the defendant officers were acting within the scope of their employment at the time of the incident, Forest Park should be held financially responsible for any compensatory damages awarded to Jenkins.
Representing Steven Jenkins is attorney David S. Lipschultz from the Law Offices of David S. Lipschultz Inc., based in Chicago. The case has been assigned Case No: 1:24-cv-04754.